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Getting along with your neighbours

All the properties we manage were built as individual houses, and many have been converted into several flats or maisonettes. This means that many properties are close to each other and have areas that are shared between several neighbours.

Some things you want to do may affect others living near you, even if you don’t intend this. This section advises you what to consider so you can avoid problems with your neighbours. Please read our noise leaflets for more information.

If you are having problems with your neighbours, contact your Housing Services Officer. They can advise you on what to do. Your Housing Services Officer can also tell you whether the situation is serious enough to be dealt with through our anti-social behaviour or harassment policies. 

You can find out more about these policies in the section ‘Anti Social behaviour, harassment and domestic violence’.

Noise

Noise from neighbours is one of the most frequent complaints we get. Sound travels very easily from one home to another in converted Victorian and Edwardian houses. You must be aware of this and try to minimise noise travelling from your home. Here is some general advice for you to bear in mind:

Tenants are not allowed to lay laminate or wooden flooring in your home and leaseholders must have suitable floor coverings. Hard flooring makes noise from your home sound louder, so the noise from e.g. footsteps may be loud enough to disturb your neighbours. Partners flooring leaflet offers guidance for fitting laminate and hard wood flooring.

Don’t play loud music late at night or early in the morning. It is likely to disturb your neighbours. Be considerate at all other times.

Don’t let your visitors make a lot of noise if they are leaving your property, particularly late at night, or early in the morning. Each resident is responsible for the behaviour of all visitors to their property.

Don’t use your washing machine or vacuum cleaner early in the morning or late at night.

Speak to your neighbours in advance if you plan to have a party on a special occasion, and be reasonable about the length of time it lasts.

Listen to what your neighbours say, if they say you are making excessive noise, and respond in a reasonable way.

If you are being disturbed by neighbours making excessive noise, or noise at unreasonable hours, your Anti-Social Behaviour Officer can advise you.

If you feel able to talk to your neighbour directly about the noise, approach them calmly and politely, explaining what they are doing to disturb you. Try to come to an agreement with them.

If you cannot agree with your neighbour, please tell us about the problem. In more serious cases, we will work with Islington Council’s Environmental Health Team to decide what action is necessary. We will consider:

  • Installing a noise recorder; sending your neighbour a formal warning letter;
  • asking Environmental Health to serve an Abatement Notice (an Abatement Notice is a formal legal document that may result in a fine or the seizure of equipment);
  • applying for an injunction;
  • in extreme cases, applying for a Possession Order. 

If you are bothered by noise at night and feel you can’t deal with it alone, you can contact Islington Council’s out-of-hours Noise Patrol. See ‘Useful contacts’ for details.

Keeping the communal (shared) hallways clean and tidy

If properties share a hallway, you must arrange with your neighbours to keep these areas

clean and tidy. If you have recently moved in, ask your neighbours what arrangements are already in place.

If windows are so dirty that they endanger health or safety, we can arrange a one-off clean.

You must not keep any of your personal belongings in a communal hallway, or block access or exits in the event of an emergency, for example a fire. If they do we will ask you to remove them. If you do not we will remove them and dispose of them ourselves.

Repairs to the communal areas

If repairs are needed to communal areas, please report them to us.

Gardens

Many of the properties we manage have gardens. Where gardens are communal (shared), residents must come to an arrangement about who maintains the garden. Whether your garden is communal or just for your own use, it is your responsibility to ensure that you maintain your garden and do not allow it to become overgrown. If you want to discuss issues with your garden, please contact your Housing Officer.

Disposing of rubbish & recycling

Recycling

In Islington it is compulsory to recycle using your recycling services at home. This includes household recycling (e.g. plastic, cans, glass bottles, cardboard), as well as food waste and garden waste if you have these services. This means you must not throw away anything in the rubbish bin which you can recycle at home using the services Islington Council provides; otherwise you may receive a fine.

Recycling is the cheapest and most sensible way to dispose of your waste. Recycling more means the money saved can be spent on important Islington services.

Household Rubbish

Make sure you wrap all household rubbish in securely tied bags before putting them in the dustbin or refuse store if you have one. If you don’t have a refuse store, keep bin bags in a place where they won’t block your neighbours’ way or annoy them.

If you have your own dustbin, put it in front of your home on collection day. If you share bins with your neighbours, agree with them who will be responsible for putting them out on the correct day. If you store your rubbish in bags, leave them in the correct place to be collected on the right day of the week.

Don’t put rubbish out onto the street before collection day.

If you have large items to dispose of, for example old furniture, you can arrange disposal through Islington Council. See ‘Bulk Rubbish’ in ‘Other contacts’ for details.